Mineral separator



May 6 f 1,924.

Y J. B. PARKER MINERAL SEPARATOR Originall Filed April lO. 1922 v kqmcnlm James Benji Par/fer'.

Chaume Patented lv'lay 6, l92d.

JAMES BENJ. PARKER, OF KELLOGG, IDAHO.

MINERAL SEPARATOR Application filed-April 10, 1922, Serial No. 551,321. BenewediHarch 12, 1924.

To all whom. 'it may concern.'

Be it known that I, Jamas BENJAMIN Pannen, a citizen ot' the United States, residing at Kellogg, in Shoshone County and 5 State ot Idaho, have invented certain new and useful improvements inA Mineral Separators, ot' which the following is a specication.

My present invention relates to improvements in mineral separators or washers of the rotary type wherein thefliotation process of separating minerals from a mass of pulp is utilized. The primary object of the invention is to simplify this type ot machine 5 by reducing to a practical minimunr the number of operating parts, compactly arranging the parts of the machine for facile and effective operation. and otherwise irnproving structures of this character as for instance in the means for aerating the mass of pulp in the separatingtank or vessel.

The invention consists in certain novel combinations and arrangements of parts as will be more speciticall pointed out and claimed hereinafter.

ln the accompanying drawings have illustrated one complete example of the physical embodiment of my invention wherein the parts are combined and arranged acse cording to the best mode I have thus far devised for the practical application ot the principles of my invention.

Figure 1 is a transverse, vertical sectional view through the separator involving my invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective view, enlarged, showing the rotary drum or agitator utilized for aerating the pulp.

Figure 3 is a detail perspective view of the rotary foam-conveyer for transferring the mineral bearing frothV or foam to the launder.

The flotation tank 1 as shown is constructed of planks or boards with an open top for supplying the gangue or mineral bearing material which is deposited therein in suitable manner. lV-ater is also supplied to the tank in the usual manner and the liquid mass inY the tank is preferably maintained 5o' at the level indicated by the line W. L. in Figure 1. l/Vithin the tank is journaled to revolve a specially constructed drum or hollov. agitator, cylindrical in form and comprising a pair or, heads through which the drum ehst is passed. The drum shaft The tank .is preferably longer the drum to occupy a. considerable space y within the tank. The perimeter of the drum at its upper portion projects above the Water level, while at its lower portion the perimeter of the drum is near the bottom of the tank.

The rotary drum, or hollow agitator includes a series ofl spaced slats 5 secured at their ends to the edges of the spaced heads 2, and between the adjoining slats are slots 6 extending to the open or hollow interior of the drum. At the edges of the slats are attached beads or strips? extending along the outer openings or mouths of the slots 6. Thus it will be apparent that as the exposed upper portion of the drum revolves air may be admitted to the interior of the drum through these slots and as the revolving drum operates the confined air may pass through the submerged slots and rise to the water level `to form the required froth or foam. Air bubbles'are also created at th top of the drum where it is exposed, as the splash caused by the slotted portions of the drum as they are exposed and then submerged agitates the liquid material and assists in forming bubbles on the vsurface of the material in the tank. The beads on the drum it will be apparent provide a roughened exterior for the drum which results in agitating the liquid mass to assist in` separating the minerals and also to provide air bubbles that iloat to the water level. In connection with the rotary drum I also einploy baille plates as 8, 9, 1 0, 11, disposed above the'drumand extending longitudinally thereof. These plates aresupported in brackets lil on the end Walls of tank, ,and they maybe adjusted `toward or away from the periphery et' the drum to decrease or increase the space therebetween. The function of these baffle plates'is tocause the foam or froth to pile upon the surface of the mass in the tank in order that the foam, in large masses, may float and be drawn over the surface of the water line.

By constructing the sidewall 13 of the tank on an incline thejdepth of the water or mass in the tank decreases toward the et the discharge point oic the tank ust above spill ledge l5. This oonif'eyer includes a shaft 1,5 suitably jonrnaled in the end Walls of the tank and revolved from the drum shaft B es by a crossed belt indicated at 17, the direction of rotation oi' shaft 1G being the reverse oi that of the shaft @n the shaft lo are a pair of spaced heads i8 and between these heads are suspended a pair of paddles 1S) having pivotal end connections 2() with the heads so that the paddles or `blades may hang in vertical suspension es Athe conveyer revolves with its shaft 16, 'fhusyin Fig, it Will loe seen that the lower edges or free edges ot' the misiles dip into. the surface oi the liquid in the tank and the alternating movement of the blades pushes the oem in siiecessive masses over the spill wey or discharge enge l5`oi the lessees tankl into the launder, thus carrying' the mineral laden foam to the launder.

The continuous operation of the drum and of the rotary conve rer results in sucessive movements of the uoyent 'mass and the mineraisare thus recovered by the flotation process for further treatment after being received inthe launder.

Having thus fully described my invention ivhet l claim new and desire to secure by Letters .Patent is:

In a separator the combination With a tank having a spillway, of a partially submerged cylindrical drum comprising s aced heads a shaft and means for revo ving said shaft, spaced slats connecting said heads und forming slots in the drum, long1' tudinally extending beadson said slats, a series of iongitudinally extending spaced baille plates located above end in operative proximity to seid drum whereby the froth is caused to pile up on the flotation surface,

'and means for conveying froth to said spill- Way.

1n testimony whereof I eiix my signature.

J. BENJ. PARKER vsus 

